Objects That Talk
Theme: Object Biography
Question:
How can an inanimate object have a "life" or "biography"? When creating an "object biography" why is it important to search for meaning by looking at all the "lives" of the object instead of looking at only one point in time or place? What are the different "lives" of the Polynesian "tiputa"?
Answer:
Objects, like people, always leave an imprint on the lives that they touch. Even though physically both humans and objects can only be as valuable as the people using the object, humans, and objects have found a way to be timeless. One may argue that the object themselves can outlive the humans who made the object because of its many uses and meanings that may even be more important than the actual function of the said object. If an object's purpose was to be exchanged (like a necklace) the necklace itself does not do much. But the economic status of the person wearing the necklace speaks volumes. What was important about the necklace was the gesture of exchange tied to the necklace because that memory/ emotion will pass for many generations to come. With objects, the cultural and political meanings of the objects will surpass the actual hard work that was needed to create the object. This is why I feel people place a great significance on objects to express things words alone cannot. To give life to an object just shows how valuable these objects really and truly are in society, rather than seeing things for what they are and their function.
An object in particular that drives home my point on the cultural and social importance of the object as well as my point on how objects leap through many generations is the Polynesian “tiputa”. The tiputa has many meanings from signifying those of a higher status, to covering ones chastity, and to cover other objects as well. While at the same time the tiputa tackles different aspects of the way of living in this region. The tiputa can be an indicator of how wealthy a woman is. It can also describe its relation between the living and the ancestors that have passed and the connection is closer than one may think. This object may be seen to a non-Polynesian as a piece of cloth used to cover a woman but it is more than that. Objects can cling onto many lives and represent themselves in several ways and it would not be possible to see these many different ways until we question what we are truly looking at and not mistake the objects function for what it culturally represents.
By: Nicholas Bosco
Works Cited:
Gosden, C. and Y. Marshall. “The Cultural Biography of Objects.” World Archaeology 31:2 (1999): 169-178.
Thomas, N. “The Case of the Misplaced Poncho: Speculations Concerning the History of Cloth in Polynesia.” Journal of Material Culture 4 (1999): 5-20.
